The company that employed two workers who drowned in a South End trench near Dartmouth and Tremont Streets on Friday had a history of citations for worker safety violations.
It isn't alone: In the past five years, nearly 100 water and sewer line companies in Massachusetts alone have accrued at least one violation by the the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration, or OSHA, for workplace safety and/or health violations.
But Atlantic Drain Service Co. Inc. would still appear to stand out.
Over the past five years, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Roslindale-based Atlantic Drain Service 13 times for violating federal safety rules—more violations than any other company doing water and sewer line work in Massachusetts, according to federal records analyzed by WGBH News.
The next closest companies racked up five violations during this time; among the 95 companies issued any violations, the five-year average was two.
OSHA documents show that Atlantic Drain Service were cited for various safety violations, including having workers underground without a safety rescue team.
The company did not comment to WGBH News, but issued the following statement to Fox 25 News:
"All of us at Atlantic Drain Service Company are saddened and shocked by the events of Friday, October 21, 2016 that claimed the lives of two friends and employees at a Dartmouth Street site in Boston. We are working closely with the City of Boston, the Boston Police Department, OSHA and other authorities to help determine exactly what happened. We take great pride in ensuring our employees are operating under properly supervised and safe work sites while on any job. In the meantime we are doing what we can to offer support to both families and our other employees. Until the investigations are complete we ask that you respect our privacy and that of the families coping with their losses."
